Hebrews 12:1b-2a "Let us run ... the race ... focusing on Yeshua, the initiator and perfecter of faith. 2a For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross ..."

Are you familiar with the word “mensch?” It is used in Yiddish (Yiddish borrowed it from German) to mean a person of integrity and honor. It means having a sense for the right thing and doing it at every opportunity. God is calling His people to be exactly that. Can't we just do that without Yeshua? Well, (wait for it) "No."

Really, Yeshua is the perfect "mensch"; a person (according to the Urban Dictionary) of noble character to be admired and emulated. I've never heard the term applied to women (only men) but I see no reason that it couldn't. Perhaps we should use a feminine twist like "menschette" or "menscharina". Then again, why don't we just leave it alone? A mensch is a mensch. Maybe a female mensch should simply be called a womensch.

In any event, I have digressed against my will. Back on track, let me get to the point. Yeshua is the perfect mensch. He always did (does) the right thing for the right reason. That’s right, unlike the rest of us, He alone has never made a mistake. Romans 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

We follow Yeshua. He alone holds the promise of eternal life. Psalm 37:37 "Notice the man of integrity and watch the upright - for the man of shalom has a future." When we follow Yeshua, our future is changed.

The Torah (and by extension, the whole Bible) reveals God's righteous standard. When we see God's righteous standard, we have to be honest with ourselves and admit how far short we are from attaining it. Then we see Yeshua has attained God's standard and we receive the calling to follow Him.